


Emerald Scales

by Cherrybean



Category: South Park
Genre: Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, Warnings May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 15:00:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13615830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherrybean/pseuds/Cherrybean
Summary: Stan and the gang find a mermaid at the same time that Craig happens to start work at a new aquarium, he was adamant that he wasn't going to get involved in their shenanigans but sometimes you can't control these things.





	Emerald Scales

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I am new to this fandom and writing these characters so please bare with me and let me know if they are not in character.
> 
> Let me know how I can improve if that's okay ^.^ /

'Maria'

 

Craig sighed as he looked at the small boat his father had spent, presumably, money they couldn't afford on. Undoubtedly to satisfy his midlife crisis, normal dad's however tend to by at the very least, fancy cars in bright colours with loud engines but every since his dad made a small boat in a jar, the projects got bigger, until now.

 

Now both he and his family are obliged to spend time with their dad on his rickety old boat with a stupid, clique name, in a horrible font that is stuck on with clearly old stickers.

 

Craig visualised the day when he would pack his bags and head off to college. _If_ his father hadn't spent his college fund on this boat.

 

"Enough day-dreaming and hop on son."

 

His dad 'Thomas' chirped as he got on the boat, with a bucket full of gross worms and two fishing rods.

 

Craig tried to casually step onto the boat, but the moment his foot securely touched the bottom and it wobbled, he knew he'd hate every living moment on board. A major part- instinct, rather told him to back off, flip off his dad and go back home but he knew better than to cross his dad, he couldn't get too far without the car anyway.

 

"C'mon Craig stop messing around we got fishing to do."

 

Resigned to his fate he made the final step on board, his stomach instantly curling and skin paling further than what he already was.

 

*

 

After his dad painfully taught him everything about fishing (without proper experience Craig recalled) the two sat far out to sea, with land being a small prick in the distance.

 

"This is dumb..." Craig muttered under breath, thankful that his father had turned on an old radio, 'vintage' as his dad called it.

 

Now maybe, if they had been fishing on a lake like a normal boring old family then maybe he would've found himself enjoying this outing but to be possibly surrounded by sea creatures, like sharks, then no, he didn't enjoy this.

 

"Isn't this great son? Just you, me and the open sea... an adventure to be had!" His dad remarked before uttering on about bonding and so on.

 

Craig just huffed and watched with mild interest as his dad reeled in a fish. It looked particularly challenging for his old man as he stood up, putting his boot at the edge of the boat and tugged like his life depended on it. Craig almost felt obliged to help. _Almost_.

 

"Go dad _woo_." He said as enthusiastically as his flat voice would let him, "Woah." he said as dryly as his dad held a sea bass in victory.

 

"Get the camera son, your mother would love this."

 

"Hm." Craig said distastefully as he reached for the camera, his mind unable to understand how his mother would possibly want a picture of her husband holding a dead eyed fish but he also didn't really care. _Whatever makes them happy._

 

He snapped the shot and his dad put the fish into a bucket with a huff, before cheerfully sitting down next to him.

 

"Can we go now?" Craig drawled, hand clutching his stomach as the boat shook from his dad moving.

 

"Let's wait a little longer, never know we might even catch two!" He said as he held up two fingers.

 

He rolled his eyes and faced the ocean. His thoughts drifted to a scene in a movie as time ticked slowly. Lost in his thoughts he was almost frustrated that his dad shook him out of the scene and back into reality.

 

"C'mon son, reeled it in!"

 

Craig started as calmly as he could but the fish was persistent, he'd get a rhythm for it but it'd pull him forward. Copying his dad, he stood up and put his shoe on the edge of the boat, pulling and tugging this fish.

 

His concentration was at it's fullest, he ignored his father's yelling to pull harder and yet he was loosing his strength and the point of letting go or falling in, he saw just a slither of green sparkling from below. That moment of slight panic was enough for his grip to loosen enough for the rod to be propelled and sucked under the water.

 

It all happened so slow, all he saw was a mass of water as he fell back onto the boat. It took his dad to shake him back to the current time speed.

 

Blinking a few times wiped the seawater off and groaned loudly, his dad laughing at his misfortune. Normally stuff like that wouldn't bother him so much but to mock him further, the fish got away.

 

But in the true Tucker way, rather than express his emotions through speech and visible emotion, he stood up and flipped the water off before sitting down.

 

Resting his chin on his hand, he sighed watching what little he could under the water surely it must've been an eel or something He thought.

After wiping away the tears in his eyes from laughter, he put a hand on Craig's shoulder.

 

"That'll do son, let's go."

 

*

 

It was around four in the afternoon when they docked back on land and Craig more than enthusiastically jumped off the boat and for the first time, gladly hugged the secure floor.

 

'Course his dad wanted to quickly wash the boat before they left which gave him the time the wander around the dock. He happily ignored all the other old geezers and the few wives they had to make his way towards the beech.

 

He might not be one for making promises but he tried to his to keep them and before they left for this trip, his little sister asked for a shell. So he figured now would probably be the best time.

 

He picked up a stick and walked along the sand, dragging it behind him. Reflecting on his experience on the water, he realised many things. One being how much he hated being on it and two, his dad didn't get mad when he lost the fishing rod.

 

Maybe that hadn't quite dawned on his dad yet. Regardless Craig wasn't going to say anything.

 

He stopped and examined some shells, he picked a nice one, it had a pink tint to it and no dead fish in it, so it would do.

 

Shoving it into his pocket he carried on a little further but found himself more than shocked to see what looked like another kid of the rocks.

 

They must've heard him because they turned towards him and looked just as shocked, if not more so judging by the wide eyes and shaking.

 

"Gah! Oh god!" He gaped loudly before trying to slide down the rock but he appeared stuck.

 

"Um..." Craig took a step forward, "Need some help?"

 

"N- no! Go away!" He cursed under his breath as he wriggled some more.

 

Craig shrugged and begrudgingly turned back. A small part of curiosity wanted to investigate why he was here but another bigger part thought 'fuck it'.

 

"Wait!" He called.

 

Craig turned back and sure enough the kid was stuck, he sighed and walked over.

 

"Wait, wait! before you come over you need to promise me you won't tell anyone about me!" He said loudly, fast and with vast gestures.

 

Craig was sure he'd have a plenty of facial expressions to go with the gestures but from his angle, he could only see an arm.

 

"What are you talking abo..."

 

There it was, that now much more vivid green from before. He raised his arm to cover his eyes but he found them quickly drawn to the kids face.

 

He couldn't be much more older than himself, he had bright blond hair that was messy and looked like it had never been combed, green eyes and more amusingly he was pouting.

 

"Don't just stare!" The kid huffed, "I _hate_ these stupid stick.. things!" to show his point, he tugged at a line which had his tail in a bind.

 

Tail?

 

"Wait... what?" Craig took a step back in surprise.

 

"Yeah, yeah... wow a mermaid! Thought they were only in stories!" He stuck out his tongue, "well we aren't! so just untie me and i'll swim away, you'll never see me again!"

 

"Pfft... ha ha!" Craig chuckled, surprised at himself for the wild impulsive gesture he tried to stop but this kid's face and over the top-ness was so stupid he couldn't stop.

 

He did though after laughing some more before walking towards the mermaid. He tried to untie the wire but it was tightly wound. Realising that this was going to take some time, he asked.

 

"What's your name?"

 

The mermaid made a few twitchy noises, seemingly thinking whether he should disclose any information. It caused him to twitch, which only made unwrapping the tail more difficult.

 

"I'm Craig by the way. You don't have to say your name if you don't want, oh and um... I won't say anything about... you."

 

Once free of the fishing wire, the mermaid gave his tail a little wiggle before sighing with relief.

 

"Th- thanks."

 

"No problem."

 

"Y-you know I thought that most humans would try to ask me everything, l-like from where I come from, are there more of me or something like that but you haven't."

 

"and?"

 

"And it's suspicious! Are you trying to psyche me out?"

 

"No. I'm just a boring person that likes boring things, I don't need to know your personal life, in fact i'd rather not. This" gesturing the mermaid, "is the sort of thing that Stan and those guys would find and milk money out of."

 

"I'm just here to fish with my dad." he shrugged.

 

" _Suure_ " The mermaid drawled as he inched back into the water. He looked like he was thinking for a moment before he swam a little further out to the ocean.

 

Craig assumed he was leaving and started walking along the shore, kicking the few rocks in his way.

"Here!"

 

Craig near jumped when a large shell was thrown at his head. Rubbing the spot where it hurt and sticking his middle finger up towards the mermaid, he looked down.

 

It put his little pink one to shame really (not that he tried looking too hard). It was a conch shell a light pink one with white tips.

 

"Wow..." Craig whispered, his fingers tracing along the edges of the shell. He looked back at the mermaid and saw that they were smiling at him, he found himself smiling back before his face went back to default.

 

"I'm Tweek, just so you know!" He waved before finally dashing under the water. His tail illuminating underneath for a fraction longer.

 

_"Emerald."_ Craig thought.

 

He couldn't say how long he stood there looking at the calm water. But his phone ringing was quick to snap him out of his stupor.

 

"I'm on my way back now." Craig said to his disgruntled father before hanging up and with hurried steps, he walked back to his dad.

 

*

 

Craig stared out the car window on the way home, his thoughts on what had happened during this trip. It sounded daft when he realised that he'd met an actual mermaid and that admittedly it was cute-

 

He shook his head. _He isn't gay._ He groaned and clutched the conch shell tight.

 

He didn't have to think about it anymore because he was never going to see that mermaid- _Tweek_ -anymore. He could move on and make sure that he never goes fishing with his dad ever again.

 

Looking in the rear-view mirror, he could see the slightest bit of the ocean and with that thought in mind he flipped it off and looked onward.


End file.
